SHEARING INDUSTRY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18351, 15 September 1921, Page 5

SHEARING INDUSTRY

SHEARERS TO REFUSE ENGAGEMENTS. FARMERS CHALLENGED. (Pee United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, September 14. The executive of the New Zealand Workers’ Union has advised Mr C. Grayndler (general secretary) to notify all shearers and shed hands to refrain from- making engagements under the Arbitration Court’s recent shearers’ award. It is understood that shearers cannot be compelled to leave their winter employment. In the course of a statement made to the press, Mr Grayndler said that the attitude of the shearers will affect the whole of Now Zealand. The shearing industry cannot afford to he held up for a fortnight, and if the present determination of the shearers lasts for a month, sheep owners will be compelled to catpitulate. Several sheep farmers who were interviewed said that the attitude of the shearers was, not altogether unexpected, but the farmers would help themselves and each other, and would pull through the crisis. SHEEP OWNERS NOT ALARMED. SHEARERS’ APPLICATIONS COMING IN. (From Odr Own Correspondent.) CHRISTCHURCH, Sept h ar 14. “ Present indications all point , the conclusion that sheep owners, speaking generally, will have no difficulty in obtaining all the labour required, ’ said Mr Nicholson, secretory of the Canterbury Sheep Owners’ Union, to-day “Applications for shearing are coming in freely, and those shearers I have come in contact with since the award was made have almost without exception expressed satisfaction at the court’s decision in this case.” Referring to the foot that shearers, as reported from Wellington, were remaining in their winter employment, Hr Nicholson said it would be readily understood why shearers left their winter employment under ordinary conditions, because they had a prospect of making considerably increased wages from shearing This season, under the new award, would be no exception. It was well known among shearers that their earnings could be at least doubled as compared with 'winter employment. A shearer also, when he left his employment, came away with the whole of hw earnings in a lump sum. This was impossible to other workers under award , conditions in town. Mr Nicholson instanced a case of one shearer who assured him that he gladly left his occupation ns a bootmaker every season to go shearing, and would not miss it for anything, as'be regarded it almost in the nature of an annual holiday, and doubted whether there was any other class of work so well paid. The early shearing in Canterbury will commence about the end of the present month, and the season will be in full awing by November. OWNERS PREPARED. (Peb United Press Association.! WELLINGTON, September 14. The expected has happened as far as the shearing industry, was concerned. The Arbitration Court in a recent award lowered the wages of shearers and shed hands. The executive of the Now Zealand Workers' Union, to which the shearers are affiliated, has now decided fo notify the men to refrain from accepting engagements. TTyjl secretary of the union, Mr O. said the council’s instructions to that effect were very definite. The court’s decision had created great consternation among fearers, and the fudge of the court was responsible for the position which has arisen. Shearers throughout New Zealand who are affected are taking the view that the industry cannot afford to bo held up. Mr Grayndler expects the owners will ho compelled to capitulate within a month’s time. It is understood that the sheepowners had already discussed what action they will take in the event of shearers refusing to accept employment. If the men act a a instructed it will not come as a surprise to the owners, who are said to have clone a> certain amount of organising work with a view to overcoming, to some extent the position which will arise.